Jennifer Thom, PhD (she/her), came to Kaiser Permanente with over 15 years of combined experience in the world of non-profit research and school-based mental health services. She has worked as a research associate on an array of CDC, NIH, SAMHSA, and foundation-funded projects focusing on behavioral health and substance abuse, including a 5-year multi-site study of women with co-occurring disorders and trauma. If you spend any length of time with Dr. Thom, you will soon learn that she has a passion for teaching others about mental health intervention design and the use of data in increasing service quality and effectiveness. Prior to joining KP, Dr. Thom taught graduate courses in Data-based Decision Making, Research Design and Methodology, psychological theory, and psychopathology as an adjunct professor at University of the Pacific.
Since joining KP in 2012, Dr. Thom has played an active role in influencing and shaping service delivery and operations within mental health. Dr. Thom began her KP career as a psychological associate in Stockton Behavioral Health, quickly moving her way to a psychologist position in 2014 and a management position in 2015. During this time, she focused on increasing the quality and effectiveness of services offered to adults, including improving care for members with depression, anxiety, trauma, and Borderline Personality Disorder. Dr. Thom joined the NCAL Mental Health Training Program in 2020 as a manager in the Kaiser Permanente Counseling Center and transitioned to Assistant Director in 2022. Dr. Thom is known for her collaborative leadership style, focus on data-based decision-making and evidence-based practice, and a passion for improving mental health service delivery.
Dr. Thom received both her doctorate degree in Educational Psychology and master’s degree in Psychology from University of the Pacific. She has a specialization in Applied Behavioral Analysis.
